Issued by the Catholic Center for Studies and Media - Jordan. Editor-in-chief Fr. Rif'at Bader - موقع أبونا abouna.org

Published on Monday, 14 October 2019
UAE, UNESCO sign agreement for reconstruction of churches in Mosul

ellerreport.com :

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have announced their renewed cooperation as part of the initiative to restore the cultural and heritage sites in Mosul, Iraq. She was the Minister of Trust

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced this morning their renewed cooperation as part of the initiative to restore the cultural and heritage sites in Mosul, Iraq. Earlier this morning, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay met at the organization's headquarters in Paris, where a new agreement was signed for the UAE's participation in the reconstruction of historic monuments in Mosul. Are considered milestones in the march of human civilization. The agreement between the two sides comes within the framework of the Year of Tolerance launched by the UAE as a slogan for 2019, which emphasizes the value of tolerance as a global concept and a sustainable institutional project aimed at upholding the values ??of tolerance, dialogue, coexistence and openness to other cultures.

The agreement stipulates that the UAE will lead efforts to rebuild a number of destroyed cultural sites in Mosul, the Church of Tahira and the Church of the Hour.

The signing ceremony was attended by Iraqi Ambassador to Paris Abdulrahman Humaid Al Hussein, Dr. Mohammed Ali Al-Hakim, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Nicolas Teixier, Head of the Dominican Order in the Province of France, and Olivier Bouquet, Secretary General Committee of the Conference of Bishops of the European Union.

Commenting on the signing of the new agreement, Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi said: “Today we are honored to renew our cooperation with UNESCO and sign this agreement which will enable us to continue our partnership with our brothers in Iraq and the people of Mosul to help rebuild the cultural and heritage sites that embody the spirit of coexistence and tolerance. Our cultural projects of this kind carried out under the umbrella of UNESCO around the world are proof of the UAE's commitment to strengthening UNESCO's efforts through international cooperation in the fields of science, culture and science. "By rebuilding part of the history of this ancient city, we will contribute to shaping a better future and building a more tolerant and open society, the values ??that have always characterized Mosul throughout its history."

“The rebuilding of the pure churches and the clock, and by the Nuri Mosque and its lighthouse, al-Hadba, is a strong cultural and civilizational message in the face of extremist practices and ideas that contributed to the destruction of these monuments in the near future. Fanaticism and extremism, and these destroyed buildings are a living witness to the brutality of extremist thought. "

Al-Kaabi pointed out that the reconstruction of the pure churches and the clock, which is more than hundreds of years old, restores the bright civilized face of the city of Mosul, and contributes in building the social fabric and the return of the displaced, especially our Christian brothers to their homes through the restoration of historical monuments and places of worship that give the Mosul community its identity and spirit after the terrorists tried Make it monochrome and erase the cultural identity and civilized and human history of the city of Mosul. The Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development noted that the UAE through this project becomes the first country in the world to reconstruct the churches of Iraq.

Noura Al-Kaabi concluded by stressing that the project of restoring the Nuri Mosque, and rebuilding and restoration of the Tahira and Saha churches reveals the UAE's interest in tolerance and cultural diversity among different religions in Mosul society.

Commenting on the renewal of the partnership, Ms. Audrey Azoulay said: “Today is an important step in the renaissance of the ancient city of Mosul, and we are delighted that our project will encompass the pure and timeless churches. The aim of this reconstruction is to restore the city of Mosul to its true character that reflects the peaceful coexistence between different religions and ethnic groups. I would like to express my deep gratitude to the United Arab Emirates, which has supported our initiative since its launch, in the belief that reconstruction is only possible through culture and education. ”

The new project is an extension of the historic agreement signed in April 2018, where the UAE has pledged $ 50.4 million to contribute to the reconstruction of Mosul's cultural heritage. The project will begin with the restoration and reconstruction of historical monuments, notably the historic Nuri Mosque and the 45-meter-high Hadba Minaret, built more than 840 years ago. With the renewal of this partnership, the UAE will support the reconstruction of the 800-year-old Tahira Church, located in the Meydan area of ??the old city of Mosul, one of the oldest churches in the region dating back to the first millennium; the Clock Church, also known as Our Lady Church The clock, which is a living example of the fraternity among the people of Mosul who graduated from its educational institution regardless of their religious background.

These efforts also include the construction of a museum and memorial displaying and preserving the monuments and history of mosques and churches that have been rebuilt in partnership with the Iraqi government, the people of Mosul and educational institutions. The museum and the memorial will have a long-term impact on the Mosul community. These projects will provide training and employment opportunities for more than 1,000 young Mosul residents, as well as develop the skills of workers in these projects through education and training opportunities, as well as the significant contribution of these projects to the revitalization of the local economy through Cultural tourism in Mosul and Iraq. As part of efforts to promote project growth, the project employed 27 Iraqis and contracted with 4 Iraqi companies. The UAE has interacted with more than 50 local Iraqis to receive first-hand feedback on their view of restoring cultural sites that reflect their country's heritage.

Immaculate Church

The Tahra Syriac Catholic Church is the largest church in Iraq and one of the largest churches in the Middle East. It was inaugurated in 1947 and consists of three high-rise spaces, the widest and highest of which is located in the middle. The three large interior spaces are based on 18 huge marble columns that converge in splendid arches. It was blown up by terrorism in February 2015.

Church of the Hour

The Clock Church is located in the Clock Quarter in Mosul, also known as the Dominican Church. It is one of the most famous churches in Mosul and one of the distinctive landmarks of the city, which was completely destroyed by terrorism on April 25, 2016. The construction of the church began in 1866. It took six years to build and was inaugurated on August 4, 1873, and its famous tower was not completed until 1882 and contains a monument clock presented As a gift from the wife of the French Emperor Napoleon III in recognition of their services in the city.